Council Grove is a city and

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

in Morris County,

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,140. It was named after an agreement between American settlers and the

Osage Nation The Osage Nation ( ) ( Osage: 𐓁𐒻 𐓂𐒼𐒰𐓇𐒼𐒰͘ ('), "People of the Middle Waters") is a Midwestern Native American tribe of the Great Plains. The tribe developed in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys around 700 BC along ...

allowing settlers' wagon trains to pass westward through the area on the

Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, ...

. Pioneers gathered at a grove of trees so that wagons could band together for their trip west.

History

Council Grove was a stop on the

. The first European-American settler was

Seth M. Hays Seth Millington Hays (April 23, 1811 – February 3, 1873) was the first white settler and a civic leader in Council Grove, Kansas. Life Hays was born in Callaway County, Missouri, and moved to Kansas in 1847 to open a trading post on the Santa F ...

, who came to the area in 1847 to trade with the

Kaw tribe Kaw or KAW may refer to: Mythology * Kaw (bull), a legendary bull in Meitei mythology * Johnny Kaw, mythical settler of Kansas, US * Kaw (character), in ''The Chronicles of Prydain'' People * Kaw people, a Native American tribe Places * Kaw ...

, which had a reservation established in the area in 1846. Hays was a great grandson of

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

. The Main street in Council Grove is the old Santa Fe Trail. The Rawlinson-Terwilliger Home, 803 West Main Street, is the oldest stone home on the Santa Fe Trail and houses the Trail Days Cafe & Museum. A post office was established in Council Grove on February 26, 1855. In 1858, the town was officially incorporated by the legislature. Hays also opened a restaurant in 1857, the Hays House, which is said to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

. The town has 15 sites listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. One is the Post Office Oak. Travelers left their mail in this designated tree to be picked up by others going in the right direction.

General Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, ...

of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

slept here with his troops during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

, under a large tree known now as the Custer Elm. The

National Old Trails Road National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and became part of the National Auto Trail system in the United States. It was long and stretched from Baltimore, Maryland (some old maps indicate N ...

, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and was routed through Herington, Delavan, Council Grove. In 1943, German and Italian prisoners of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

were brought to Kansas and other Midwest states as a means of solving the labor shortage caused by American men serving in the war effort. Large

internment Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simp ...

camps were established in Kansas:

Camp Concordia Camp Concordia was a prisoner-of-war camp that operated from 1943–1945. Its location is two miles north and one mile east of Concordia, Kansas. The camp was used primarily for German Army prisoners during World War II who were captured in batt ...

, Camp Funston (at

Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...

), Camp Phillips (at Salina under

established 12 smaller branch camps, including Council Grove.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. The city is fifty-five miles southwest of

Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Council Grove has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Area events

* Heritage Rendezvous * Washunga Days

Area attractions

* Allegawaho Heritage Memorial Park * Kaw Mission State Historic Site * 1857 Hays House * ''

Madonna of the Trail ''Madonna of the Trail'' is a series of 12 identical monuments dedicated to the spirit of pioneer women in the United States. The monuments were commissioned by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). They w ...

'' monument * Trail Days Historic Site Presently, both the Council Grove Reservoir and the City Lake are popular for recreational activities. While both lakes are open to the public and motorized boats, most of the land around the City Lake is privately owned with over three hundred lake houses. Building is restricted on the larger Council Grove Reservoir but there are many well-positioned camp sites. Excellent fishing is found on these lakes as well. Walleye, crappie, white bass, and many more fish are in both the Council Grove Reservoir and the City Lake.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 2,182 people, 991 households, and 565 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 1,107 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.4%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.9% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population. There were 991 households, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.0% were non-families. 39.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age in the city was 45.9 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.1% were from 45 to 64; and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,321 people, 1,002 households, and 634 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,099 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.23%

, 0.26%

, 0.22% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.47% from

, and 0.60% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population. There were 1,002 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were

living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,949, and the median income for a family was $37,061. Males had a median income of $29,500 versus $20,625 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $20,189. About 7.4% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by

Morris County USD 417 Morris County USD 417 is a public unified school district headquartered in Council Grove, Kansas, United States. The district includes the communities of Alta Vista, Council Grove, Diamond Springs, Dunlap, Dwight, Wilsey, Delavan, and nea ...

public school district.

Council Grove High School Council Grove High School is a public high school located in Council Grove, Kansas, United States, and operated by Morris County USD 417 school district. The school serves students in grades 9 to 12 and educates approximately 226 students.

is a high school located at 129 Hockaday St., Council Grove. Students from the surrounding areas travel to Council Grove to attend high school."Council Grove High School"
Great Schools Council Grove Middle School includes grades 6 through 8 and is located at 706 E Main St. Council Grove Elementary School includes kindergarten through the 5th grade and is attached to the middle school. The athletic teams are known as the ''Braves''.

Transportation

Council Grove was located on the

, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, that was established in 1912.

Notable people

Charles Curtis Charles Curtis (January 25, 1860 – February 8, 1936) was an American attorney and Republican politician from Kansas who served as the 31st vice president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 under Herbert Hoover. He had served as the Sena ...

Vice President of the United States under Herbert Hoover 1929 - 1933, member Kaw Indian tribe. * Don Harvey, actor * Clara Hazelrigg, author, educator, social reformer * James Miller, U.S. Representative from

* John Rhodes, United States House of Representatives from Arizona 1952 - 1983, House Republican Leader 1973 - 1981

Gallery

Historic Images of Council Grove
Special Photo Collections at

Wichita State University Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...

Library Image:Farmers and Drovers Bank and Indicator Building (8217689776).jpg, Historic Farmers and Drovers Bank building (2012) Image:MKT Depot Council Grove, Kansas.jpg, 1894 Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Depot (2015) Image:Carnegie Library Council Grove, Kansas.jpg, Morris County Historical Society, previously was a Carnegie Library (2015) Image:Madonna-Council-Grove.jpg, ''

'' monument in Council Grove (2005) Image:CouncilOakatCouncilGrove.jpg, Council Oak at Council Grove (1912) Image:Last Chance Store.jpg, 1857 Historic Last Chance Store (1958)

References

External links

;City
City of Council Grove

Council Grove - Directory of Public Officials

Council Grove Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
;Historical * , from ''Hatteberg's People'' on

KAKE KAKE (channel 10) is a television station in Wichita, Kansas, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group. The station's studios are located on West Street in northwestern Wichita, and its transmitter is located in ...

TV news
Historic Images of Council Grove
Special Photo Collections at

Library
Kansas Photo Tour - Council Grove

;Maps
Council Grove city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas Cities in Morris County, Kansas Native American history of Kansas Kaw tribe Osage Nation Santa Fe Trail Populated places established in 1847 1847 establishments in Indian Territory